Beyond the Galaxy: Prologue/Character Bio

FINALLY you get the first chapter. Hopefully these will be a little more regular now, because I've finally had the time to schedule a few of them.
As a special bonus, this prologue is part of a character bio for President Lake, so I will include his picture and a short character description. The prologue is his story excerpt.

President Arron Lake

The father of two teenaged boys, as well as being the President of the United World, keeps President Lake a busy man. After the planet earth is destroyed by a nuclear WWIII, he is the one elected to be in charge. The planet can no longer support the current population's need for food and water, so President Lake and the International Space Exploration and Colonization (ISEC) put their heads together and come up with a plan to take the younger generation and move them to other life supporting planets that the astronauts have discovered beyond their own galaxy. These people are called "The Chosen" and their story begins as a result of President Lake's plan. 

Enjoy the first part of my brand-new story: Beyond the Galaxy.

Prologue: A Decision is Made

President Arron Lake of the United World was a man in his late forties. Tall, and surprisingly thin with slate gray hair that was parted to the side which neatly covered the fact that he was beginning to go bald. Serious eyes scanned the faces of his cabinet members in the small office room from behind steel-rimmed glasses.  The way the twelve other men in the meeting gave him their respectful attention reflected the president’s commanding character as well as his powerful position of leadership.

“I got the call from International Space Exploration and Colonization this morning,” he was saying. “Everything is ready. Our plan can now begin to take place without any more setbacks or hitches.”

The cabinet member closest to the president raised a hand. The president gave him a nod of recognition, thereby allowing him to speak.

“Have The Chosen been selected already, or will we need to get that done?” He asked.

“The tests are taking place as we speak,” the president assured him. “I gave the go-ahead to the administrators as soon as ISEC rang off.”

“When will the tests be finished?”

“By noon tomorrow.”

Another cabinet member raised a hand. “How many space ships will we be sending out and how many planets will then be inhabited?”

The president smiled. “I wondered how long it would take for someone to ask that question.” He paused. “But to answer you, the estimated number of ships ready to launch is around one hundred, and they would be carrying thirteen of The Chosen in each. That will give each nationality a fair number of their own to send based on population. ISEC has told me that they have eighty-seven livable planets within reach that are currently available to colonize. Civilization systems are already at work under former colonists on those planets. We hope that this way the transition from earth to a foreign planet will be made easier for The Chosen.”

There was a short silence as the members digested the president’s information. Finally, one of them raised a hand.

“Could you give us an idea of how this test is going to choose the perfect colonists for each given colony?”

The president nodded. “Of course. The test is designed to choose children in their teens, the youngest colonists being no younger than thirteen, the oldest, no more than nineteen years of age. This will give them a chance to learn how to work under the civilization system on the given planet without having to worry much. They will be asked about their background, and what they believe their strengths and weaknesses are. The goal is to find teens with little or no family connections so that they won’t be missing anyone if they are one of The Chosen. Also, we need teens who are smart and able to look after themselves should the need arise.”

Another silence followed this speech, and the president ceased being a no-nonsense leader and became more like his usual, ordinary self. “Guys, I have a private request to make. I’d like my two sons to be two of The Chosen. I know that it would be breaking some of the regular rules, but I can’t stand thinking of Fovil and Destin being stuck here on a War-devastated planet with no future to speak of.”

The youngest cabinet member spoke up tentatively. “Do your sons fill all the requirements except their having family connections?”

The president nodded again. “I had them take the tests after I had finished my call with ISEC, and they both would have passed with flying colors except for the fact that they had family.” The president’s voice filled with fatherly pride for the accomplishments of his two sons.

After a moment of quiet discussion, the youngest member turned back to the president, his eyes twinkling. “I think you could get away with it, just this once.”

Infinitely grateful, the president was at a loss for words momentarily. His eyes were suspiciously damp, and he cleared his throat a few times before replying. “Thank you all. I don’t think you realize what this means to my wife and I.”

The sympathetic cabinet members smiled and the meeting was adjourned.

The fate of the human race was sealed.